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A statue of former Catalan president Jordi Pujol - currently under fire for admitting he has hidden millions in offshore bank accounts – has been pulled to the ground in the town where it was erected in 2011.

Residents of the small town of Premià de Dalt woke up on Tuesday to find a bronze effigy of the ‘father of modern Catalan nationalism’ face down on the grass.

It’s not yet known who pulled it down from the pedestal it had stood on since its erection in the middle of Can Verboom park in 2011.

On September 11th, Catalonia’s National Day, the sculpture was paint-bombed by critics who also wanted to show their discontent at the town hall’s decision to keep the scandal-hit politician’s municipal honours, including a square named after him and the title of “Adopted Son of Premià de Dalt”.

Jordi Pujol denied claims of corruption during a highly anticipated appearance in the region's parliament on Friday.

But there are many people within Spain who still feel his family’s hidden cash scandal has undermined the region’s separatist cause as he was once seen as one of the main figureheads and supporters of an independent Catalonia.